Center bracket for curtain rods



I March 19, 1940. J BQYE CENTER BRACKET FOR CURTAIN RODS Filed Dec. 1,1938 Patented Mar. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES CENTER BRACKET FOR CURTAINnone James Boye, Chicago, 111., assignor to James H. Boye ManufacturingCompany, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application December 1, 1938, Serial No.243,299-

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to the general art of curtain supports orhangers, and has reference more particularly to an improved bracket forsupporting long curtain rods between their ends to 5 prevent sagging ofthe rods under the weight of curtains and drapes suspended therefrom.Such supports, commonly known as center-brackets, are used in connectionwith wide windows or double windows which require .a rod of considerablelength, and are especially useful in connection with extensible rodscommonly comprising two or more telescoping sections. An example ofrodsof this type is shown in my former Patent No. 1,518,245, grantedDecember 9, 1924.

The present invention has been designed more particularly for use inconnection with extensible bowed curtain rods, although it may also beadvantageously employed in connection with straight curtain rods such asare shown in my aforesaid patent. Extensible bowed rods have onecharacteristic not possessed by extensible straight rods. When a bowedrod is lengthened its intermediate portion bellies outwardly away fromthe window, and when it is shortened its intermediate portion isretracted toward the window. This makes it advantageous. from a manu-'facturing and economic viewpoint, to make the center bracket extensibleto avoid the necessity of supplying individual brackets of varyinglengths to fit installations on windows of varying widths. An extensiblecenter bracketis not broadly new, since my aforesaid patent discloses anextensible center bracket to meet situations where straight extensiblecurtain rods are mounted at varying -i distances from the window. But inthe case of a bowed extensible red, the extensible center bracket meetssituations where the windows are of varying widths and consequently therods have to be'lengthened or shortened to fit.

One object of the present invention is to provide a center bracketcapable of adjustment in a vertical plane, so that its rod-engagingportion can be raised or lowered to support the rod in a perfectlyhorizontal position and also, in the case of a bowed rod, to support therod in a more or less arched position. Another object is to provide sucha center bracket with a double adjustment-one a coarse adjustment bywhich the rod 50 may be brought to approximately its desired position,and the other a fine adjustment by which the rod may be brought toexactly its desired position. Another object is to provide a very simpleaccessory or extension of the main bracket for 55 use in double rodinstallations, by which the outer rod may be supported at varyingdistances fro the inner rod.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description of an approved embodiment 5 1thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, in". which- Fig. 1 is aperspective elevation of a pair of inner and outer extensible bowed rodsfor supporting a curtain and drapes, respectively, in 1 f associationwith my improved intermediate supporting bracket.

Fig. '2 is an enlarged cross section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showingthe center bracket in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2. v

Fig. 5 is. a perspective view of an end portion of a rod, showing anangularly adjustable bracketco-pending application, Serial No. 239,615,filed November 9, 1938; now Patent No. 2,150,204.

They are of the ffiat type having the cross-sectional form illustratedin Fig. 2, the inner rod ll 35 comprising telescoping sections l I andII" and the outer rod i2 comprising similar telescoping sections 12 and.l2'..

In each end of eachrod there is tightly fitted an insert 13 (Fig. 5) theprojecting end of which is connected by a pivot screw M to the shank l5of a hinge sleeve it that fits over a pin I'I (,Fig. 1)

carried by an end bracket l8 mounted on the frame member I 9. The hingescrews l4 permit the rods to be mounted either horizontally or in anupwardly arched position, and, preferably, to lock the rod at its endsin said position, the inner face of the, insert i3 is formed with radialgrooves such as l9, and the shank I5 is formed with a fixed tooth 2i!engageable with any of the grooves 19 so that, when the screw 14 istightened up, the rod end is locked rigid with the shank l5. The endbrackets herein shown constitute in part the subject matter of myaforesaid application, and

with the specific structural features thereof the present invention isnot concerned.

Turning now to a description of my improved center bracket designed tosupport the rods substantially mid-length, 2i designates an angle basemember attached to the frame bar IE], to the forwardly extending limb ofwhich is connected, by a pivot screw 22, a forwardly extending bracketarm. This arm is made in two sections, an inner main section 23 and anouter rod supporting section 24. Both arms consist of flat strips whichoverlap each other, and the overlapping portions are loosely embraced bya collar 25 in the manner best shown in Fig. 3. The arm 24 terminates atits forward end in a hook 25 which, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, engagesbeneath the upper curled flange of the inner rod H. The pivot 22, ofcourse, permits the main arm 23 to be adjusted up and down in a verticalplane, an upwardly adjusted position being indicated fragmentarily bydot and dash lines in Fig. 2. The arm 23 is locked in any adjustedposition by a tooth 21 engageable with any of aradial group of grooves23 formed in the base piece 2!, upon first loosening and then tighteningthe pivot screw 22. This effects what may be termed a rough orapproximate adjustment of the position of the main bracket arm 23.

Adjustment of the length of the rod supporting bracket arm and angularadjustment of the section 24 relatively to the section 23 is effected bythe following means. In the portion of rod 24 that is embraced by thecollar 25 are mounted longitudinally spaced front and rear screws 29 and39 respectively. As shown in Fig. 4, these screws extend through holes3! in a side wall of the collar 25, which holes are of greater diameterthan the threaded stems of the screws. The tips of the screws abutagainst the inner side of the arm section 23. From Fig. 3 it will beobserved that the internal vertical dimension of the collar 25 issomewhat in excess of the width of the two arm sections, so that thelatter are capable of angular adjustment relatively to each other. Toeffect longitudinal adjustment of the arm 24, both screws are loosenedand the arm 24 is moved forwardly or rearwardly, shifting the collar 25with it. When the desired adjustment has been made, both screws aretightened up. To effect angular adjustment, the screw 29 is loosened,and the arm 24 is raised or lowered to the desired height, and the screw29 is then tightened; or, a slightly greater angular adjustment isobtainable by loosening both screws 29 and 30 and tilting the arm 24until its upper and lower edges strike the upper and lower cross membersof the collar. By this construction a very fine and accurate adjustmentof the height of the inner rod H is obtainable. The two arm sections and24 with the collar 25 and screws 29 and 30 obviously form a singlecomposite bracket arm.

The construction as thus far described is complete as a center bracketfor a single rod. Since double rods (front and rear) are very commonlyused, I have incorporated in the bracket structure a simple accessory orextension for supporting the outer or front rod at the same height or inthe same horizontal plane as the inner rod. This consists of anextension member 32 formed with a longitudinal slot 33 that straddles alateral stud 34 on one side of the arm 24. The forward end of theextension 32 terminates in a rod-engaging hook 35 similar to the rod-emgaging hook 26, that engages beneath the upper flange of the outer rodl2, in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2. It will also be observed thatthe extension 32, when in working position, lies crosswise of and issupported by the inner rod H, and the engagement of the stud 34 with theslot 33 prevents the extension 32 from tilting upwardly under the weightof the rod 12. The slot 323 permits the extension 32 to be adjustedforwardly to suit the lateral spacing of the rods H and i2.

In single rod installations, where the outer rod [2 is not used, theextension 32 may be permited to hang idly in the position shown by dotand dash lines in Fig. 2, where it is substantially concealed by thecurtains.

, Some users of bowed curtain rods prefer to mount them in an upwardlytilted or arched position. My improved center bracket readily permitsthis to be done by mere adjustment of the pivotal connection 22 to thebase member H, a corresponding adjustment of the end bracket pivots Itbeing made at the same time.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the described center bracketis adaptable to either a single rod or a double rod installation and toeither straight rods or bowed rods, and to either a horizontal or anarched position of the latter. It also adapts itself to the lateralspacing of the two rods which, in the case of bowed rods, varies whenthe rods are lengthened or shortened. Obviously, the structural detailsshown and described may be varied without sacrificing any of thedescribed advantages. Hence, I do not limit the invention to theparticular embodiment presented for purposes of illustration, butreserve all such variations, modifications and mechanical equivalents asfall within the spirit and purview of the claims.

I claim:

1. A center supporting bracket for a curtain rod comprising a basemember adapted to be attached to a window frame, a forwardly extendingarm horizontally pivoted at its inner end on said base member, means forlocking said arm rigid with said base member in any adjusted positionthereof, a rod-engaging arm laterally overlapping and extending beyondsaid first named arm and adjustable both lengthwise of and verticallyangularly to said first named arm, and means for locking saidrod-engaging arm rigid with said first named arm in any adjustedposition thereof, said last named means comprising a collar embracingthe overlapped portions of said arms with sufficient clearance to permitrelative vertical angular adjustment of said arms, and means for forcingthe overlapped portions of said arms hard against opposite sides of saidcollar.

2. A center supporting bracket for a curtain rod comprising a basemember adapted to be attached to a window frame. a forwardly extendedarm horizontally pivoted at its inner end on said base member, means forlocking said arm rigid with said base member in any adjusted positionthereof, a rod-engaging arm laterally overlapping and extending beyondsaid first named arm, and means for effecting both relr tivelongitudinal and vertical angular adjustment of said arms comprising acollar loosely embracing both overlapping portions of said arms, and apair of screws spaced lengthwise of said collar and mounted in one ofsaid arms with their inner ends in thrust engagement with the other arm,whereby said screws when tightened force said arms against oppositesides of said collar.

3. A center supporting bracket for a curtain rod, comprising a basemember adapted to be attached to a window frame, a fiat forwardlyextended arm horizontally pivoted at its inner end on said base member,means for locking said arm rigid with said base member in any adjustedposition thereof, a flat rod-engaging arm laterally overlapping andextending beyond said first named arm, and means for effecting bothrelative longitudinal and vertical angular adjustment of said arms,comprising a collar loosely embracing the overlapping portions of saidarms, said collar having spaced holes in a side wall thereof. and screwshaving stems of less diameter than said holes passed through the latterand mounted in said rod-engaging arm with their tips in thrustengagement with said first named arm.

4. A center supporting bracket for inner and outer curtain rods,comprising a base member adapted to be attached to a window frame, aforwardly extending fiat arm disposed in a vertical plane attached atits rear end to said base member and having on its forward end a hookfor engaging the inner rod, a laterally projecting stud on the forwardportion of said arm, and a fiat extension member disposed in a verticalplane having a longitudinal slot slidably engaged with said stud topermit endwise adjustment thereof relatively to said arm to accommodatethe spacing of the rods, said extension member adapted to rest on andcrosswise of the inner rod and having on its free end a hook for JAMESH. BOYE.

